BE SAFE Platform
In the 21st century, we envision a world in which our food, water and air are clean, and our children grow up healthy and thrive. Everyone needs a protected, safe community and workplace, and natural environment to enjoy. We can make this world vision a reality. The tools we bring to this work are prevention, safety, responsibility and democracy.
Our goal is to prevent pollution and environmental destruction before it happens. We support this precautionary approach because it is preventive medicine for our environment and health. It makes sense to:
- Prevent pollution and make polluters, not taxpayers, pay and assume responsibility for the damage they cause;
- Protect our children from chemical and radioactive exposures to avoid illness and suffering;
- Promote use of safe, renewable, non-toxic technologies;
- Provide a natural environment we can all enjoy with clean air, swimmable, fishable water and stewardship for our national forests.
We choose a “better safe than sorry” approach motivated by caution and prevention.
We endorse the common-sense approach outlined in BE SAFE’s
four principles listed below.
PLATFORM PRINCIPLES
HEED EARLY WARNINGS
Government
and industry have a duty to prevent harm, when there is credible
evidence that harm is occurring or is likely to occur—even when
the exact nature and full magnitude of harm is not yet proven.
PUT SAFETY FIRST
Industry and government have a responsibility to thoroughly study
the potential for harm from a new chemical or technology before
it is used—rather than assume it is harmless until proven otherwise.
We need to ensure it is safe now, or we will be sorry later. Research
on impacts to workers and the public needs to be confirmed by independent
third parties.
EXERCISE DEMOCRACY
Precautionary
decisions place the highest priority on protecting health and the
environment, and help develop cleaner technologies and industries
with effective safeguards and enforcement. Government and
industry decisions should be based on meaningful citizen input and
mutual respect (the golden rule), with the highest regard for those
whose health may be affected and for our irreplaceable natural resources—not
for those with financial interests. Uncompromised science
should inform public policy.
CHOOSE THE SAFEST
SOLUTION
Decision-making
by government, industry and individuals must include an evaluation
of alternatives, and the choice of the safest, technically feasible
solutions. We support innovation and promotion of technologies
and solutions that create a healthy environment and economy, and
protect our natural resources.